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Power-supply units, or PSUs, are an integral part of any computer build. Often overlooked, it is the component that is likely to last the longest, and it can be moved between systems when you upgrade to the latest and greatest in the future.

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The PC ecosystem thrives because it is based on continual improvement. As a pertinent case in point, compared to 10 years ago, the compute performance available from the latest slew of CPUs and GPUs is unrecognisable.

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Personal Computers (PCs) connect up to peripherals and displays through myriad of cabling. Some of those names and standards will be familiar to you, such as USB or HDMI, others may not, and these can include standards such as Thunderbolt and DisplayPort. The purpose of this TekSpek is to illuminate and educate users into the different types of cables and standards used in the PC ecosystem.

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Conceived back in 2004 and brought to market just a year later, the 80 PLUS initiative is one of many standards introduced in an effort to increase energy efficiency in modern technology. Targeting computer power supplies, it awards PSUs that are able to achieve an energy efficiency of over 80 per cent at varying workloads and a power factor of 0.9 or more at 100 per cent load.

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USB 3.0, also known as SuperSpeed USB, is a buzzword you might have seen popping up repeatedly over the last 12 months or so. In this guide, we'll explain what it is, what it does, and what it could mean for you as the consumer.

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Keeping in tandem with technological developments, audio/video connectors continue to evolve at a steady pace. Today, the most common digital connector comes in the form of HDMI and we're here to tell you what it is, what it does, and why you might need it.

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This TekSpek explains what Green Computing is, what it means to the consumer, and how energy-efficient components can be beneficial in the home.

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You've probably read the USB Tekspek, and perhaps your intrigue, or product interest, has lead you to look up Firewire as well. The two are similar in some respects, particularly some of the products that use the two technologies. However, Firewire has its differences, which means it has both benefits and drawback when compared to USB. This Tekspek will look at Firewire and also look at it with respect to USB.

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Now shipping with all but the cheapest complete PCs are LCD monitors. Advances in display manufacturing and associated cost reductions with economies of scale have brought LCD monitors into the mainstream, shipping with budget systems that start at just £400. LCD monitors come in all shapes and sizes, have differing resolutions and inputs. The purpose of this TekSpek is to provide a basic understanding of how LCDs work, delineate their desirable features, and to offer basic buying advice.

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Home networking let’s you do great things that aren’t possible with standalone PCs. Printers can be shared between PC, so there’s no need to buy one for each machine.

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Port forwarding is a technique you’ll need to use to enable certain services if you’re using a router. If you don’t really care how it works, you can skip this section and just find out how to do it.

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As you’ll all likely know by now, DVI is the current standard for connection of a PC or other display generator to a digital display output. You’ll recognise the multi-pin connector and know that almost all modern LCD displays have the corresponding input connector, for feeding from your PC. But do you know how DVI works? This TekSpek seeks to teach you how.

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On the surface we’re asking a relatively simple question here: "What do I need to get my broadband Internet working?" Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that. Worry not, however, for this TekSpek covers both the differences between the two popular kinds of broadband and what you’ll need to get your home computer(s) connected up.

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It’s good to talk, but the way in which we get in touch with each other is changing. When once a letter, or a phone call over a shared line were the only ways to keep in touch with friends and relatives, there is now e-mail, instant messaging and text messages. The humble telephone isn’t sitting idly by, however. Telephony is evolving and it is using the Internet to keep up with the competition.

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WiFi is a wonderful thing. You can take your laptop anywhere in your house and access the Internet, or access your network from the garden. However, it does introduce the grim possibility of somebody else doing exactly the same, without you ever knowing. This guide seeks to make you aware of various security terms and ideas associated with wireless networking and what you should consider when setting up a wireless network.

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Whether the broadcasters are going HD or not, TV sets and projectors are arriving thick and fast which claim to support higher resolutions than regular telly. But HDTV is far from just one standard – it incorporates a couple of different resolutions, two different scanning modes, and a number of different frame rates. In this article, we present a guide to what all the terms actually mean.

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The purpose of this TekSpek is to define what HDTV is, how it will become pervasive in the not-too-distant future, and its relevance to you in 2006.

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There’s a lot more to High Definition than just having the ability to run your screen at the right resolution. With more than one type of connection available, and the thorny subject of signal encryption to contend with, just because your monitor and graphics are capable of 1,920 x 1,080 or better does not necessarily mean they will be able to display HDTV in all its glory.

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As a growing number of homes contain more than one computer, their users must find ways to network them. The primary purpose for creating a home network tends to be to provide Internet access to all computers within the house. There are other good reasons, however. These include enabling LAN gaming, data backups from one machine to another and the sharing of music within the home.

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